1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to a method and apparatus for compacting foliage, and more specifically, to a mobile foliage compactor and method for compacting organic foliage into compact bales to minimize the volume occupied by foliage being disposed of.
2. Description of Related Art
Grass clippings, leaves, twigs that have fallen from trees, and other such organic foliage create an unsightly appearance when they accumulate on yards and parks. Such organic foliage is collected by home owners and landscapers and placed in bags that are placed adjacent to public roadways from where the bags are collected by municipalities. Other municipalities offer collection services where loose organic foliage piled by the public roadways is vacuumed by large collection vehicles. But regardless of whether the organic foliage is bagged, it occupies large volumes of storage space in collection vehicles and composting facilities.
To minimize the volume required to transport and store collected organic foliage, attempts have been made to develop devices that compact this material. However, such known devices are typically owned by the municipalities, are quite large and conduct the compacting operations when the organic foliage is collected. For example, one complex foliage compactor imparts a compressive force on organic foliage placed in a hopper. However, this compressive force is imparted on the organic foliage by a vertical piston that presses downwardly on the organic foliage, which is squeezed between the piston and a bottom surface of the hopper. The complexity and cost of such devices make them impractical for use in commercial and residential settings.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a foliage compactor that is practical for small commercial and residential users that can minimize the volume of organic foliage. It is desirable to maximize the density of the resulting bales of organic foliage to minimize costs since storage and shipping fees are based on volume rather than weight. The foliage compactor can optionally be mobile to be towed by a conventional landscaping vehicle, and can optionally include a feature allowing each bale to be bound for enhancing handling of each bale. Further, the foliage compactor can optionally include a variety of inputs into which organic foliage can be inserted into the foliage compactor.